Machine for forming composite fiber webs



March 8, 1955 H. H. LANGDON Erm.

MACHINE FOR FORMING COMPOSITE FIBER WEBS Filed Feb. 2, 1951 4Sheets-Sheet l F RANG/5 M EURES/'l March 8', 1955 H. H. LANGDON :TAL2,703,441

MACHINE FOR FORMING COMPOSITE FIBER WEBS Filed Feb. 2, 1951 4sheets-sneer 2 IN V EN TCR3'.

HOWARD H. LANGDON BY FRANC/S M. BURESH @Wk-yf T 7' ORNEY Marh 8, 1955 H.LANGDON ErAL 2,703,441

MACHINE FOR FORMING COMPOSITE FIBER WEBS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 2,1951 1N V EN TORS.

A T TDRNEY March 8, 1955 H. H. LANGDON ETAL 2,703,441

MACHINE FOR FORMING COMPOSITE FIBER WEBS Filed Feb. 2, 1951 4Sheets-Sheet 4 las Fl IN V EN TORX.

HOWARD H. LANGDON By FRA/V015 M. BUIiSHy ATTORNEY MACHINE FoRroRMrNGcomosrru FIBER wEBs Howard H. Langdon, Rochester, N. Y., and Francis M.

Buresh, Blandford, Mass., assgnors, by mesne assignments, to CurlntorCorporation, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationFebruary z, 1951, serial No. zomerv- 16 claims. (ci. 19-156) The presentinvention relates to machines for forming random textile ber webs. In amore specic aspect the invention constitutes an improvement over therandom web forming machine of the Buresh Patent No. 2,451,915, grantedOctober 19, 1948and over the random web forming machine of the Bureshand Langdon pending 11. psatent application Serial No. 26,256, led MayIn the machines of the patent and application above mentioned the workmaterial is fed into a lickerin, which is rotating at high speed, insuch way that single bers are combed and drawn out of the material bythe teeth of the rotating lickerin; the bers are dotted from thelickerin by a high velocity air stream and by the centrifugal forceresulting from thehigh speed of rotation of the lickerin; and the bersare carried bythe air stream onto a rotary foraminous condenser slowlyrgtating about an axis extending at right angles to the, direction of owof the air stream. The air stream passes diametrally through thecondenser; and the fibers are caught by and thus randomly deposited onthe condenser. Thus a ber web is built up on the condenser which hasequal strength in all directions in the plane of the web. The bers arepressed together to compact the web; and the compactedweb isdelivered/.onto a conveyor or otherwise discharged from the machine.

While the machines of the patent and application above mentioned aresatisfactory for webs of medium width, when the width of the web, whichis to be formed, exceeds by any considerable amount 40 inches, supportof the rotary condenser becomes a serious design and constructionproblem, because the rotary condenser or drum can only be supported atits ends since a passage through the drum has to be provided for the airstream.

In machines constructed according to the design disclosed in the patentand application above mentioned, moreover, difculty is experienced inkeeping the condenser screen clean. Fibers which strike the condenserendwise are likely to pass through the perforated condenser at the sideof random web formation but may be caught at the opposite side of thecondenser as they at-v tempt to pass a second time through theperforations of the condenser with the air stream owing to the suctionfan. lf these caught bers are not removed they gradually accumulate onthe inside of the condenser; and this accumulation can become serious incontinued operation of the machine because it will reduce the air ow.Sometimes, moreover, there may be a discontinuous warp wire with an endsticking out and bers will be caught by this wire and stick to theoutside surface of the condenser screen.

In some instances, it may be desirable to form composite webs of two ormore different materials, as, for instance, of ber and a ranularmaterial like cork. In some cases it may also e desirable to stabilizethe webs with a suitable bonding material. With the machines of thepatent and application above mentioned a composite web cannot be formed.To make a composite web it is rst necessary to make the base random webin the machine and to then superirnpose on the base web the cork orother desired second material. With the machines of the patent andapplication above mentioned, stabilization cannot be effected duringformation of the web and can be effected only by saturating the web witha stabilizing agent following removal of the web from the machine, andthen pressing and drying the saturated web. Granular bonding agents,although widely available cannot be used United Statesl Patent 2,703,441Patented Mar. 8, 1955 ice with webs manufactured on the machine of thepatent or application above mentioned, except by building up laminarweb's. The granular bonding agents would not satisfactorily penetratethe base web if sprinkled on top thereof. Therefore, webs made on themachines of the patent' and application above mentioned, are bondedcommercially by laminating alternating relatively thin ber webs withsheets of bonding material, and then inserting the laminations in platenpresses and applying heat and pressure to form hard boards.

One object of the present invention is to provide a machine for formingrandom ber webs which can be made to form a web of any desired width andin which the condenser, on which the webis formed, may be readilysiflppoted so as to permit formation of the desired width o we Anotherobject of the invention is to 'provide a machine for forming random berwebs in which a condenser in the form of an endless foraminous belt maybe used and in which the bers may be conveyed to the belt for depositthereon by an air stream which is passed through both the forward andreturn reaches of the belt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed for forming random ber webs in which means is provided toprevent lateral creeping of the endless condenser belt as it travelsover its rollers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for formingrandom ber webs which is so constructed that access may readily be hadto the condenser for cleaning.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for formingrandom ber webs in which the condenser can be continuously cleaned bothon its inside and on its outside surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for formingrandom ber webs in which stray bers which pass through the collectingsurface of the condenser on which the web is formed are automaticallyremoved from the condenser and returned to the suction side of the fanfor recirculation with other bers through the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for formingrandom ber webs in which stray bers, which are caught on the outsidesurface of the condenser, can be removed and also returned to thesuction side of the fan for recirculation of these bers through themachine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed in which the condenser is mounted in a separate part slidableinto or out of the machine for cleaning or replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for formingrandom ber webs which will permit incorporation in the web, duringformation, of any dry granular material such as cork, or a granularbonding agent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for formingrandom ber webs in which the dry granular material may be sandwichedbetween layers of ber during formation of a ber web, so as to build up alaminated, composite web in the machine itself.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine forforming random ber webs in which granular bonding agents can beintroduced into the web at the time the web is formed on the condenserthus insuring good distribution thicknesswise even on heavy webs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a maclrtm for formingrandom ber webs having means for controlling feed of a granular materialinto the air stream of the machine as the air stream arries the bers tothe condenser so that a controlled amount of the granular material maybe evenly distributed throughout the web during formation of the web.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent herethrough one of therolls over which the belt condenser of the machine travels, taken on theline 5--5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows and showingparticularly the means for preventing lateral creeping of the v belt;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, illustrating amachine built according to a modification of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of this modified machine onan 'enlarged scale illustrating the means for introducing granularmaterial into the air stream of this machine so that the granularmaterial will be sandwiched between layers of fibers in the web formedby the machine;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a feeder for feeding granular material tothe machine;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of this feeder with parts broken away; and

Fig. l is a transverse section through the feeder.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, and moreparticularly first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. lto inclusive. and in Fics. 8. 9 and 10. 20 indicates the base or frameof the machine. This may be made of fabricated steel with suitablereinforcements and is generally rectangular in shape. Secured to the topof the frame is a lap bed or feed plate 21 which has a fiat upperhorizontal surface. A feed hopper, such as disclosed in applicationSerial No. 26,256 above mentioned, may be mounted above this plate tofeed fibrous material to the machine, or the fibrous material may be fedover the plate in the form of a lap. A nose or riser plate 22 isfastened in any suitable manner to the right hand end of the bed plate2l. Mounted above the bed plate and very close thereto is a feed roller24. This is iournaled at opposite ends in the nose 22 or bed plate 21and may be adjusted toward and from the nose 22 to control the feed ofthe stock material to the machine so as to dispose the stock material tothe lickerin 25 of the machine in such way that the teeth of thelickerin will comb and draw out of the stock individual fibers. Thelickerin 25 is provided with a plurality of peripheral lickerin teeth,which may be similar to saw teeth, and is iournaled in the frame of themachine to be driven at high speeds during the operation of the machine.The feed roll 24 is also positively driven and may be driven from thelickerin shaft or direct from a drive motor (not shown). All this isknown construction and may be identical with that disclosed in eitherthe patent or application above mentioned.

As the lickerin revolves. its teeth pick fibers from the stock being fedto it by the feed roller 24 and the teeth carry these fibers around intoan air duct 30 into which the lickerin proiects. The air svstem of themachine is a closed, recirculating system like that disclosed inapplication No. 26.256 above mentioned. Circulation is produced by ablower or fan which is mounted within the casing 31 in the base of themachine. This blower or fan is driven bv the motor 32 through a pulley33, belt 34 and pulley 35. The last-named pulley is secured to the shafton which the fan is mounted. The inlet side of the fan connects with avertical portion 36 of the duct 30 that extends the full width of theframe at one end thereof. This portion of the duct is formed between theright hand end wall of the frame and the duct plate 37. The blowerhousing 31 is connected at its pressure side with a portion 40 of duct30 which is suitably supported Within the frame of the machine. The ductportion 40 connects at its left hand end with a vertical duct portion 41which extends across the full width of the frame of the machine andwhich is formed between the left hand end wall of the frame and a ductplate 43. The duct portion 41 is curved at its upper endand joins aportion 44 of the duct. This portion of the duct extends beneath thefeed plate 2l. the nose plate 22 and the lickerin 25. This portion 44 ofthe duct is formed at one side of the lickerin between the feed plate 21and a duct plate 46, and at the opposite side of the lickerin is formedbetween upper plates 47 and 48 and lower plates 49 and 50. Tt extendsacross substantially the full external width of the frame 20. The ductportion 44 is nar: rowed beneath the lickerin so as to provide a venturieffect. The narrow portion of the duct is formed by the upper surface 52of the beam 53. The upper surface 52 of this beamis so shaped that theduct converges toward the lickerin on the approach or pressure side ofthe lickerin and diverges from the wall or cover plate 47 on the suctionside of the duct. The plate 47 is itself inclined upwardly from thelickerin so that the opposed upper and lower walls 47 and 49 of the ductrecede from one another. The air duct system so far described may beidentical with that disclosed in application No. 26,256 above mentioned.

Mounted within the upper horizontal reach 44 of the air duct on thesuction side of the lickerin is a condenser 60 which, in the machine ofthe present invention, is in the form of an endless belt made of wiremesh or any suitable reticulated material. The air circulating in duct30 passes through both the forward and return reaches of this condenserbelt, the portion 44 of the air duct within these two reaches of thebelt being bounded by the upper and lower plates 55 and 56. The air ductportion 44 is curved at its right hand end to join the duct portion 36,beiusbounded along its curved juncture by the plates 57 an The condenserbelt 60 is more or less diagonally inclined to the vertical, as shown;and the plates 47 and 48 diverge from the plates 49 and 50,respectively, so as to expose a wide area of the upper or forward reachof the condenser for laying of the web.

The streamline flow of the air through the forward and return reaches ofthe condenser belt 60 insures uniform random laying of the fibers on theforward reach of the belt with a minimum of turbulence and with uniformthickness of web across the width of the condenser within practicaltolerances.

The fibers deposited in random fashion on the forward reach of thecondenser 60 by the high velocity air stream owing through the condenserare compressed by a pressure roller which is iournaled in the frame ofthe machine and which may be pressed by spring members (not shown)against the web in a manner similar to the pressure roller disclosed inapplication No. 26,256. The pressure roller 85 may be driven byfrictional engagement with the web.

The belt 60 travels over rolls 65 and 66. Each of these rolls may bebuilt up by welding, as at 69, a tube 70 (Fig. 5) to a pair of endplates 71 and 72 and keying the end plates to a shaft 73 passedcentrally through them. Set screws 75 may be provided to lock the keysin position. Each end plate 71 and 72 is turned down to provide aninclined outside surface 76 and a peripheral surface 79, the latterbeing of reduced diameter as compared to the outside diameter of themajor part of the roll. Either roll 65 or 66 may be the driver and maybe driven in any suitable manner from a motor (not shown).

The web, which is formed in the machine, may be removed from the machineas fast as it is formed and as the condenser belt passes over upperroller 65. The belt type screen is readily supported and may readily bemade in very wide widths.

To prevent lateral creeping of the condenser belt 60 on the rollers, thebelt is made wider than the width of the web which it is desired toform. At each side of the condenser belt 60 there is placed a V-belt 77whose outside length is equal to the inside length of the condenserbelt. On the outside of the condenser belt and directly over the V-beltare placed strips of rubber 78 of the same width as the outside surfaceof the V-belts 77, and these strips of rubber 78 are vulcanized underheat and pressure through the mesh of the screen 60 to the outsidesurfaces of the V-belts 77, thus making the V-belts 77, screen 60 andstrips 78 integral. The peripheral portions 79 of the end plates 71 and72 of the rolls 65 vand 66 are turned down to a diameter to clear theinside surfaces 81 of the V-belts 77 so that the inside inclined sidesurfaces 80 of these V-belts will engage and seat only against theoutside inclined surfaces 76 of these end plates, these outside surfaces76 of the end plates being formed at the same angle as the side surfaces80 of the V-belts. When the screen belt 60 is moved over the two rolls65 and 66. then, the V-belts 77 will engage the side surfaces 76 nf theend plates 7l and 72; and the filler wires of the belt 60 will be intension and will restrain any tendency toward lateral movement of thebelt 60.

Experience has shown that some fibers will get through the mesh of theforward reach of the endless condenser arcani belt 60. Such bers may becaught on thes return reach of the belt. These fibers collect on theinside of the belt as the belt travels to the lower roll 66 on thereturn and are carried in this way outside of the air duct. If they arenot removed they will pass around the lower screen roll 66 and be againblown off of the belt as it moves again in its forwardv reach. In time,if these fibers are not removed they will accumulate on the inside oftllile belt and lower the eliciency of operation of the mac ine.

To overcome this a suction pipe 90 is mounted inside the condenser belt60 adjacent the returnreach of that belt but outside of the air duct 30.This suction pipe has an opening as denoted at 91. It is adapted toreach across the full width of the belt and may be connected to thesuction side of the fan 31 so that the fibers deposited on the inside ofthe belt will be picked olf by the suction and carried away through thepipe to be recirculated through the machine. By recirculation they maybe caught on the web and form part thereof. The belt type condenserlends itself, therefore, to this type of continuous cleaning which wasnot readily possible with a rotary type condenser. The suction pipe 90will remove, too, any dirt or debris that may get inside the condenserbelt.

Sometimes fibers will stick to the outside surface of the condenserscreen 60. There may be a discontinuous warp wire or an end stickingout. To remove these fibers, a second suction pipe 95 may be provided.This suction pipe' is also mounted outside of the air duct 30 and has anopening 96 close to the outside surface of the screen condenser. It toowill extend across the full width of the screen condenser. This suctionpipe, also, may be connected to the suction side of the fan 31 torecirculate any fibers picked oli the condenser belt.

For ready assembly, the entire condenser mechanism, including theinternal duct may be assembled as a unit into the machine. For thispurpose side plates 100 and ing ground cork or other granulated materialincorporate therein. With the machine of the present invention the corkor other granulated material can be introduced while the web is beingformed on the condenser thus assuring uniform distribution of the corkor other granulated material thicknesswise in the web. ji/

For feeding granular material to the machine a hopper 120 may beprovided as shown in Fig. 1. This hopper (Figs. 8, 9 and 10) deliversthe granulated material by gravity through an opening 121 in a casting12,2 to a feed screw 124 that is journaled at opposite ends in thecasting 122 and in an attached casing 125. Casing 125 may be securedabove plate 47 of air duct 30 (Fig. l).

Journaled in the casing 125 parallel to the feed screw 124 is a utedroller 127 (Figs. 9 and 10) which has a plurality of flutes 128 formedin its periphery and extending axially of the roller. Also journaled inthe casing 125 is a second feed screw 130. The two screws 124 and 130are of opposite hand. The casing 125 has an opening 131 in its underside registering with the utedA roller 127 and with an opening in plate47 of air duct (Fig. 1). This opening permits delivery by the utedroller 127 of the granular material into the air duct 30 of the machine.

The granular material is fed from the hopper 120 into the outfeed screw124 whose direction of rotation is such that the material is carriedadjacent to the meter- .l ing roller 127. The granular material willspill into the 101 (Figs. 2 to 4) may be provided. These are secured byscrews 102 to the transverse duct plates 55 and 56 of the portion ofduct 30 which passes through the condenser. The roll 65 is then housedin a chamber 110 formed by the side plates 100 and 101 and the upperduct plate 55, while the roll 66 is housed in a chamber 111 formed bythe side plates 100 and 101 and the lower duct plate 56. 0n theiroutside surfaces the side plates 100 and 101 have guideways 103 that areadapted to slide in guide slots 104 formed in the side plates 105 of themachine. The rolls 65 and 66 are held securely enough in the condenserassembly; and after the condenser assembly is in position, the shafts 73(Fig. 5) of rolls 65 and 66, may be inserted through the holes 106 and107, respectively, in the side plates 105 of the machine and through theholes 108 of the end discs 71 and 72 of the rolls, and be secured tothese end discs by the keys 109 which are secured in position by the setscrews 75. The key ways in shafts 73, will, of course, be extendedforthe lengths of these shafts, for such assembly, and not be of thelengths denoted at 111 in Fig. 5. The holes 106 in side plates 105 areelongated to permit adjustment of the roll 65 to take up slack in thecondenser belt 60 by adjusting set screws 114 whichthread into lugs 115on each side plate 105. After assembly of the condenser in the sideplates 105 the drive sprocket, pulley, or other drive means (not shown)may be fastened to the projecting end of the shaft 73 of roll 66. Bysliding the supporting side plates 100 and 101 of the condenser frame inthe diagonally inclined slots 104 in the side plates 105 of the machine,then, the condenser assembly can easily be positioned in or removed fromthe machine.,V The suction ducts 90 and 95 are secured in position afterassembly of the condenser assembly in the machine. If desired, however,the portion of duct 90 which lies within the width of the condenser beltmay be fxedly secured to plate 56 and be removable with the condenserassembly by uncoupling it from the portion of this duct which leads tothe fan.

There are holes 118 in the side plates 105 which align with chamber 111of the condenser assembly thus providing a cleanout opening extendingacross the whole of the frame of the machine which permits access bothto the outside and to the inside of the condenser belt 60. This cleanoutopening exposes the inside of the belt 60 just before it arrives at thebottom roll 66.

In many cases it may be desirable to form a web havtintes 128 of thisroller. Suiiicient material should be carried at all times to more thansupply the utes of the metering roller 127l for its full length. Excessmaterial is carried from opening 121 to the far end of casing 125 byscrew 124 and passes into the arcuate chamber or double elbowv 132 ofthe casing, where it is picked up by the return screw 130 which carriesit back to the 'arcuate chamber or elbow 134 in casting 122. Here it ispicked up again by the feed screw 124.

The materil that has been fed into the llutes 128 of roller 127 by theoutfeed screw 124 is carried in the clockwise rotation of the meteringroll 127 (Fig. l0) to opening 131 and discharged into the air duct 30 ofthe machine whence it is carried to condenser 60. The return screw 130lis placed close to the metering roll 127 so that excess materials arecontinually wiped from the flutes ofthe metering roller before they havean opportunity to discharge at the bottom and into the air stream.

It is the purpose of this device to feed excess granular material at alltimes so that the iiutes 128 are always filled lengthwise and further sothat the return screw 130 will remove excess material from the flutes128 and return it to casting 122 to be fed again. The elements of thefeed device rotate relative to each other to give the metering roll 127the required R. P. M. to feed in the required pounds of material perhour. If the metering roll is speeded up, the feed screw and the returnscrew would also speed up maintaining the circulation of excessmaterial.

The screws 124 and 130 may be of opposite hand, as shown, and be rotatedin the same direction, or they may be of the same hand and rotated inopposite directions. In the drawings the screw and rollers are shown asdriven by gears 135, 136, 137 secured to screw 124, roller 127 and screw130, respectively. Any one of these gears may be drivenn any suitablemanner from a motor (not shown).

While the hopper 120 is shown located at one end of the feed mechanismfor the granular material, it is apparent that the hopper might belocated in the center of this feed casing, in which case double-endedscrews would be used which would feed outward from the center in eachdirection and which would return the material to the center from eachend of the feed casing.

In the machine of Fig. 1, the granular material is fed into the airstream by the metering roll 127. The air stream will sweep the granularmaterial toward the condenser screen 60 and deposit it with the fiber asthe web is built up. The distance of the feeder away from the condenserscreen is determined by the character of the granular material to beintroduced into the web. For heavier granular material the feeder shouldbe nearer the condenser.

ln some cases it may be desirable to introduce the granular materialbetween two layers of ber thus form.

ing in effect a sandwich in which the central layer is granular materialand the outer two layers are fibrous.

7 This may be done in a machine constructed as shown in Iigs. 6 and 7.This machine may be similar in construc-A tion to the machine previouslydescribed except for the feed mechanism for the granular material. Herefeed ,and return screws 124 and 130, and a metering roll 127 tmay beemployed as before, but these are mounted in a feeder casing 125' whichis inserted through the sidc plates of the machine into air duct 30 withthe hopper for supplying the granular material located at one end of thecasing 125 outside the machine side plates. Furthermore, a casing 140,which may be of sheet steel, is provided'around the casing 125 to splitthe air stream carrying the fibers into two parts, as denoted by thearrows 141 and 142. Fiber carried in the direction 142 will be laid downon the forward reach of the condenser belt 60 at the lower end thereof.The granular material delivered by the metering roll 127 will passthrough an opening 145 in the casing 140 and be delivered onto thecondenser belt 60 on top of the fibrous material deposited at the lowerend of the forward reach of the condenser belt. The fiber carried in thedirection of the arrow 141 will then be delivered in the upper portionof the forward reach of the condenser belt on top of the granularmaterial. Thus, the desired sandwich-like web of fiber, granularmaterial, and fiber will be formed. Opening 145 in casing 140 may beformed between a reinforced mouth plate 146, which is secured to casing140, and the adjacent wall of casing 125'.

If desired an opening 147 may be provided in the for ward end of thecasing 140 to permit flow of air through the casing to carry thegranular material onto the belt from the metering roll 127. In this casesome fiber will be mixed with the granular material which may bedesirable. It is possible, however, to construct casing 140 so that itis entirely closed except for discharge opening 145. In this case thegranular material will be drawn out of the casing 125 by the suction ofthe air stream in duct 30 rushing by opening 145. It is also possible toclose opening 147 and to open the ends of casing 140 to atmospheric airthereby permitting fiber-free air to enter the casing and carry thegranular material through the opening 145 under suction. The opening 145and shape of plate 146 will', of course, be varied to suit the methodchosen for carrying the granular material to screen 60. In all cases,however, the plate 145 is preferably made with an undulatory uppersurface, as denoted at 148 (Fig. 7) to createV some turbulence in theair stream, causing the particles of cork, as they fall from meteringroll 127 to bounce, thereby insuring better deposit of the cork on theweb as the web passes under the mouth 145 of lthe casing. The bottomwall 149 of the casing is elongated suiciently as shown in Fig. 7 toinsure the desired suction.

It is obvious that any dry granular material may be fed into the machineas well as cork. This is advantageous where it is desired to stabilizethe webs by using granular bonding agents rather than liquid bondingagents. Granular bonding agents are widelv available both in kind anduse. They would not satisfactorily penetrate the product web ifsprinkled on top. Therefore, webs are bonded ordinarily commercially bylaminating relatively thin webs and sheets of bonding material and theninserting the laminations in platen presses using heat and pressure toform hard boards. With the machine of the present invention it ispossible to introduce granular bonding agents at the time the webs areformed on the condenser thus obtaining good distribution thicknesswiseon fairly heavy webs. As a result it is possible to properlv bond singlethickness webs continuously. and to minimize the number of laminationsin relatively thick carboards and at the same time eliminate the cut offand intermittent press operation previously required. Thus great savingsin time and cost are achieved.

If the granular material is relatively fine some of it will go throughthe condenser screen 60 and lodge inside the condenser. This makes thecleanout described for the condenser belt 60 essential.

With the present invention, therefore, a machine has been provided whichwill permit manufacture of webs without limitation as to their width, inwhich streamline air flow through the condenser insures uniformthickness of web across the whole width within allowable tolerances,which permits ready cleaning of the condenser, and which permits ofmaking composite webs. The machine of this invention has, therefore,manifest advantages over the prior art.

While the invention has been described, then, in connection with anumber of different embodiments thereof it will be understood that it iscapable of further modification, and this application is intended tocover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following,in

general, the principles of the invention and including suchY proects, anendless foraminous condenser belt having both its forward and returnreaches travelling through said duct, means for driving said beltincluding rollers over which said belt travels, atleast one of saidrollers being disposed outside said duct, said machine having an openingextending therethrough transversely of said belt and between said ductand one roller and affording access to said belt for cleaning said belt,and means for effecting high speed air ow in said duct to carry fibersfrom said lickerin to said belt, said belt being spaced from saidlickerin in the direction of ow of air in said duct.

2. A machine for forming a random fiber web, comprising a rotarylickerin, means for feeding fibrous stock to said lickerin so that inits rotation said lickerin doffs `fibers from the stock, an air ductinto which said lickerin projects, an endless foraminous condenser belthaving both its forward and return reaches travelling through said duct,said belt being spaced from said lickerin in the direction of ow of airin said duct, means for driving said belt including rollers over whichsaid belt travels, at least one of said rollers being disposed outsidesaid duct, means for effecting high speed air flow in said duct to carryfibers from said lickerin to said belt, and means disposed outside saidduct for removing from said belt material caught thereon.

3. A machine for forming a random fiber web, coinprising a rotarylickerin, means for feeding fibrous stock to said lickerin so that inits rotation said lickerin doifs fibers from the stock, an air duct intowhich said lickerin projects, an endless foraminous condenser belthaving both its forward and return reaches travelling through said duct,said belt being spaced from said lickerin in the direction of flow ofair in said duct, means for driving said belt including rollers overwhich said belt travels, at least one of said rollers being disposedoutside said duct, means for effecting high speed air flow in said ductto carry fibers from said lickerin to said belt, and means disposedoutside said duct but between said duct and said one roller and withinsaid belt for removing from said belt material caught thereon.

4. A machine for forming a random fiber web, comnrising a rotarylickerin. means for feeding fibrous stock to said lickerin, so that inits rotation said lickerin doffs fibers from the stock, an air duct intowhich said lickerin proiects. an endless foraminous condenser belthaving both its forward and return reaches travelling through said duct,said belt being spaced from said lickerin in the direction of flow ofair in said duct. means for driving said belt including rollers overwhich said belt travels, at least one of said rollers being disposedoutside said duct. a suction pine disposed outside said duct but betweensaid duct and "id one roller and within said belt, said pipe having asuction opening therein extending across the full width of said beltclose tn the inside surface thereof to draw off of said belt materialcaught nn the inside surface thereof, and means for effecting high speedair flow in said duct to carrv fibers from said lickerin to said belt.

i. A machine for forming a random fiber web, comprising a rntarvlickerin. means for feeding fibrous stock tn said lickerin so that inits rotation said lickerin doa fibers from the stock. an air duct intowhich said lickerin nrniects. an endless foraminous condenser belthaving both its forward and return reaches travelling through said dnct.means for driving said belt including rollers over which said belttravels. at least one of said rollers being disposed outside said duct.means disposed outside said duct and outside said belt for removing fromsaid belt material caught thereon, and means for eecting high s peed airow in said duct to carry bers from said lickerin to said belt, said beltbein spaced from said lickerin in the direction of ow of air in saidduct.

6. A machine for forming a random ber web, comprising a rotary lickerin,means for feedin brous stock to said lickerin so that in its rotationsai lickerin do's bers from the stock, an air duct into which saidlickerin projects, an endless foraminous condenser belt having both itsforward and return reaches travelling through said duct, said belt beingspaced from said lickerin in the direction of fiow of air in said duct,means for driving said belt including rollers over which said belttravels, at least one of said rollers being disposed outside said duct,means for effecting high speed air ow in said duct to carry fibers fromsaid lickerin to said belt, and a suction pipe disposed outside saidduct and outside said belt, said pipe having a suction opening thereinextending across the full width of said belt close to the outsidesurface thereof to draw off of said belt\ material caught on the outsidesurface thereof.

7. A machine for forming a random ber web, cornprising a base, alickerin rotatably mounted in said base, means for feeding fibrous stockto said lickerin so that in its rotation said lickerin dotfs bers fromthe stock, an air duct in said base into which said lickerin projects, acondenser support slidable into and out of said base, rollers rotatablymounted in said support, an endless foraminous condenser belt carried bysaid rollers, opposed duct walls secured in said support between saidrollers and between the forward and return reaches of said condenserbelt to provide a continuation of said air duct transversely of both theforward and return reaches of said belt when said support is in positionin said base,

. and means operable when said support is in position in said base tocause air flow in said duct from said lickerin to and through saidcondenser belt.

8. A machine for forming a random iber web, comprising a base, alickerin rotatably mounted in said base, means for feeding fibrous stockto said lickerin so that in its rotation said lickerin dois bers fromthe stock,

an air duct in said base into which said lickerin projects, a condensersupport slidable into and out of said base, a pair of spaced rollersrotatably mounted in said-support, an endless foraminous condenser beltmounted to travel over said rollers, opposed duct walls secured in saidsupport between said rollers and between the forward and return reacheslof said condenser belt to align with corresponding opposed walls ofsaid air duct, when said support is in position in said base, andthereby form a continuation of said `air duct, and means operable whensaid support is in position in said base to cause air ow in said ductfrom said lickerin to and through said condenser belt, said supportbeing slidable into and out of said base in a direction transverse ofsaid air duct, and said support and base having interengageable guidesurfaces for the purpose of guiding the sliding movement of saidsupport.

9. A machine for forming a random ber web, .comprising a base, alickerin rotatably mounted in said base, means for feeding brous stockto said lickerin so that in its rotation said lickerin dois bers fromthe stock, an air duct in said base into which said lickerin projects, acondenser support slidable into and out of said base,

a pair of spaced rollers rotatably mounted in said support, an endlessforaminous condenser belt mounted to travel' over said rollers, opposedduct walls secured in said support between said rollers and between thefoi'-- ward and return reaches of said condenser belt to align withcorresponding opposed walls of said air duct, when said support is inposition in said base, and thereby form a continuation of said air duct,said condenser belt when positioned in said base being inclineddiagonally to the direction of ow of air in said air duct, and meansoperable when said support is in position in said base to cause air owin said duct from said lickerin to and through said condenser belt, saidsupport being slidable into and out of said base in a direction parallelto the direction of travel of the forward reach-of said condenser belt,and said support and base having interengageable guide surfaces for thepurpose of guiding the sliding movement of said support.

10. A machine for forming a random ber web, comprising a base, alickerin rotatably mounted in said base, means for feeding brous stockto said lickerin so that in its rotation said lickerin doffs bers fromthe stock, an air duct in said base into which said hckenn pro ects, acondenser `support slidable into and out of said ase, a pair of spacedrollers rotatably mountedv in said v support, an endless foraminouscondenser belt mounted totravel over said rollers, opposed duct wallssecured in said support between said rollers and between the forward andreturn reaches of said foraminous belt, to align with correspondingopposed walls of said airduct when said support is in position in saidbase and thereby form a continuation of said air duct, a suction pipemounted doifs fibers from said stock, an endless foraminous condenserbelt, means for driving said belt, an air duct into which said lickerinprojects and through which both the forward and return reaches of saidcondenser belt extend, means for creating an air stream in said ductwhich ows from said lickerin to and through the reaches of saidcondenser belt, means disposed between said lickerin and said condenserbelt for dividing said air stream, and means mounted between thedivisions of said air stream for feeding material onto said condenserbelt.

l2. A machine for forming a composite random web, comprising a rotarylickerin, means for feeding fibrous stock to said lickerin so that inits rotation said lickerin doffs bers from said stock, an endlessforaminous condenser belt, means for driving said belt, an air duct intowhich said lickerin projects and through which both'the forward andreturn reaches of said condenser belt extend, opposed walls of said airduct diverging from one another between said lickerin and said condenserbelt and the forward reach, at least, of said condenser belt travellingdiagonally across said air duct, means for creating an air stream insaid duct which travels from said lickerin to and through the reaches ofsaid condenser belt, means disposed between said lickerin and saidcondenser belt for dividing said air stream, and means mounted betweenthe divisions of said air stream for feeding material onto saidcondenser belt.

13. A machine for forming a composite random web, comprising a rotarylickerin, means for feeding fibrous stock to said lickerin so that inits rotation said lickerin doffs fibers from said stock, a movableforaminous condenser, means for driving said condenser, an air duct intowhich the lickerin projects and which extends from said lickerin to saidcondenser, and means for introducing a material into said air ductbetween said lickerin and said condenser, said last-named meanscomprising a casing having a` mouth communicating with said air duct andan opening through which said material may be supplied to said casing, arotary feed screw journaled in said casing and communicating with saidopening to convey material away from said opening, a rotary flutedymetering roller for receiving material from said feed screw anddelivering it through said mouth into said air 14. A machine for forminga composite random web,l

comprising'a rotary lickerin, means for feeding brous stock to saidlickerin so that in its rotation said lickerin doifs bers from saidstock, a movable foraminous condenser, means for driving said condenser,an air duct into which the lickerin projects and which extends from saidlickerin to said condenser, and means for introducing a material intosaid air duct between said lickerin and said condenser, said last-namedmeans comprising a casing having a mouth communicating with said airduct and an opening through which said material may be supplied to saidcasing, a rotary feed screw, an axially tinted metering roller, and arotary return feed screw journaled in said casing in parallelism withone another, said feed screw communicating with said opening andoperating to deliver the material from said opening to said meteringroller, said metering roller registering with said mouth to delivermaterial into said air duct, said metering roller and means for rotatingsaid metering roller and said two comprising a rotary lickerin,

screws, said casing being closed at both ends whereby excess material isreturned by said return feed screw to said feed screw to be fed again tosaid metering roller.

l5. A machine for forming a composite random web, means for feedingfibrous stock to said lickerin so that in its rotation said lickerindoffs bers from said stock, a movable foraminous condenser, means fordriving said condenser, an air duct into which the lickerin projects andwhich extends from said lickerin to said condenser, means disposedbetween said lickerin and said condenser for dividing a stream of airflowing in said air duct, means mounted between the divisions of saidair stream for feeding a material into said air duct, said last-namedmeans comprising a feed screw, and a uted metering roller, said feedscrew being rotatable to feed the material from a source of supply tothe flutes of said metering roller, and said metering rollercommunicating with said air duct, and means for rotating the feed screwand said metering roller to effect said feed movement.

16. A machine for forming a composite random web, comprising a rotarylickerin, means for feeding fibrous stock to said lickerin so that inits rotation said lickerin dos fibers from said stock, a movableforarninous condenser, means for driving said condenser, an air ductinto which the lickerin projects and which extends from said lickerin tosaid condenser, means disposed between said lickerin and said condenserfor dividing a stream of air owing in said air duct, means mountedbetween the divisions of said air stream for feeding a material intosaid air duct, said last-named means comprising a casing, a rotary feedscrew, a rotary tluted metering roller, and a rotary return screw, saidtwo screws and said metering roller being journaled in said casing inparallelism with one another with the metering roller being disposedbetween the two screws, said feed screw being rotatable to feed thematerial from a source of supply to the flutes of said metering roller,said casing having a slot in one wall through which material may bedelivered by said metering roller into said air duct, said slotextending axially of said metering roller but being narrower than thediameter of said metering roller, said return screw operatingY to returnexcess material to said feed screw, and mlans for rotating the twoscrews and said metering ro er.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS

